The Victorian era is a special style and world. At that time, much attention was paid not only to the beauty but also to the functionality of everything: whether it was a house or a household appliance. That is why it is so interesting for us to consider everything connected with that beautiful and elegant time.

If you will visit the magnificent Craigdarroch Castle in Victoria, one can almost travel back in time. The castle is imbued with the atmosphere of the Victorian era.

There is an interactive museum that almost completely recreates the life of the Victorian era. This was the era of coal barons and railroad magnates. They lived in luxurious houses, decorated with beautiful furniture and equipped with the latest technological progress.

The construction of the Craigdarroch castle began in 1888. It was ordered by a rich immigrant from Scotland, Robert Dunsmuir. The best architects of that time were able to create a real masterpiece in four years.

This castle surprises not only with its appearance but also its interiors. For example, the main corridor of the castle was decorated with oak panels, which were brought from Chicago. The other rooms were decorated with larch. The library has shelves for more than 1000 books, each of which has a leather cover. The highlight of the castle is the drawing-room, which had seven stained-glass windows. In the evening they are illuminated by gaslight. And in the center of the living room, there is a magnificent fireplace, decorated with gilded paintings and surrounded by huge mirrors.

The castle also had a ballroom, banqueting and billiard rooms, a smoking room, and a modest but elegant dining room.

Dunsmuir died a year before construction was completed. All the inheritance went to his wife and daughters. Unfortunately, they were not able to keep it, as they lost several unfair lawsuits against them. As a result, the castle passed into state ownership. At first, it was a hospital, then a gymnasium. The house was often rebuilt. Only the ballroom was left untouched.

The castle became a national heritage site only in the 1950s. Since the 80s of the last century, it has returned its former Victorian luxury thanks to donations.